Tallow balm: what it is, how to use it, and how it compares

Tallow balm is beef fat, rendered and whipped into a rich, waterless moisturizer for dry skin, and it has become a favourite with people who want a short, natural ingredient list. If your skin feels tight and dry through a Nova Scotia winter, or you're simply curious about tallow skincare, here's what's in a jar, how it compares with plant butters and lotions, how to use it, and who might be happier with something else.

What is tallow balm?

Tallow is rendered beef fat, the same ingredient people have cooked with and made soap from for generations. A tallow balm blends it with a few other ingredients, often jojoba or olive oil, beeswax and sometimes essential oils, then whips or sets it into a balm. There's no water in the jar, so a small amount goes a long way.

The appeal is simplicity. Most tallow products have short ingredient lists you can read in one breath. Tallow is rich and helps dry skin hold moisture, so skin feels soft and comfortable even through a cold, windy winter. Those are the benefits most people are after: soft skin and a moisturizing routine with fewer ingredients.

Tallow balm vs plant butters and lotions

All three moisturize. The difference is mostly what they're made of, how rich they feel and who they suit.

For a deeper look at lotion, cream, butter and balm side by side, see our guide to body lotion, cream or balm for dry winter skin. If you'd rather skip animal fats on your face, our guide to natural face moisturizers covers plant-based creams and oils, and our Beauty From Bees guide covers a beeswax-based range.

How to use tallow balm in your skincare routine

1. Start pea-sized. Tallow balm is dense. Scoop a pea-sized amount with a clean, dry finger; you can always add more.
2. Warm it first. Rub it between your fingertips for a few seconds until it softens and turns glossy.
3. Press it into slightly damp skin. After washing or a shower, press and pat it in rather than rubbing hard. Damp skin helps it spread.
4. Give it a minute. It can feel greasy at first. Let it settle before makeup or getting dressed, or use it at night.

Tallow moisturizer for your face

Face whips are lighter and softer than a solid balm, so they suit a skincare routine better. Muskoka Tallow makes two everyday face whips: Nourish for dry skin, with frankincense, ylang ylang and lavender essential oils, and Sensitive, made for very sensitive skin, with just tallow, organic jojoba and organic calendula and no essential oils. Jojoba oil is close in makeup to the skin's own oils and non comedogenic. The texture is soft and whipped, so a little spreads easily before makeup or at night.

Golden Glow has the longest ingredient list of the three, with an orange creamsicle scent from essential oils, and it absorbs quickly to a silky finish. Keep in mind it contains emu oil and raw honey as well as tallow. The Naka moisturizer blends tallow with shea butter, so it sits between a tallow balm and a plant butter, with a light vanilla note.

Muskoka Tallow and grass-fed tallow

Muskoka Tallow was started by Shelby, a mother who spent years in the medical field before stepping away to care for her baby. Looking for simple, clean skincare for her family, she turned to tallow. The brand follows a "nose-to-tail" idea, honouring every part of the animal, and every product is built on grass-fed, grass-finished tallow with plant botanicals.

A good tallow balm has a short label: tallow, a plant oil or two, and nothing you need to look up.

Tallow for body, babies and lips

On the body, tallow does what any rich balm does: it's best on dry spots like hands, elbows, knees and heels, and after a bath while skin is still damp. Several tallow products are made with babies in mind, and the Sensitive Body Whip is Muskoka's gentlest, suitable for babies and adults.

For lips, Flock & Tallow Co. makes a tallow lip balm with locally sourced beef tallow, local beeswax and virgin coconut oil. It stays put rather than vanishing in five minutes, and the unscented one has just those three ingredients. Our natural lip balm guide compares it with beeswax and plant-wax balms.

Skin types and who might prefer something else

Every skin is different, and tallow isn't for everyone. That's fine. You might be happier with a plant butter or a lotion if:

• You avoid animal products. Tallow is beef fat, so it isn't vegan or vegetarian, and it won't suit anyone who avoids beef for religious or ethical reasons.
• Your skin is oily or acne prone. Rich, heavy balms can feel like too much on oily skin, and skin can react differently to the same product. Try a small area first and give it a couple of weeks.
• You dislike a greasy feel. A balm leaves a film, especially at first. A lotion absorbs faster for daytime.
• You react to other ingredients. Check labels for essential oils, beeswax, honey or emu oil, which some tallow products contain.

Beef tallow for skin vs tallow from the kitchen

We also sell tallow for cooking, and it's tempting to scoop some from the pantry. Choose a product made and labelled for skin instead. Skincare tallow is prepared, blended and packed for use on skin, while cooking tallow is made for the frying pan.

Questions we get a lot

Is beef tallow really good for your skin?

For dry skin, many people find it is. Tallow is rich, helps dry skin hold moisture and leaves it feeling soft and supple. It's a simple moisturizer rather than a cure-all, so whether you love it comes down to your skin type.

Why are some dermatologists against tallow?

The usual concerns are that rich, heavy products can feel like too much for oily or acne-prone skin, and that a trend isn't a reason to drop a routine that works. Tallow shines on dry skin, so start with a little and see how your skin feels after a week or two.

Does tallow get rid of wrinkles?

No moisturizer removes wrinkles, but well-moisturized skin looks smoother and plumper, and fine lines from dryness are less noticeable. That's a big part of why people with mature skin love a rich tallow balm.

Is tallow good for mature skin?

Many people with mature, drier skin like a rich balm, especially at night. Start with a small amount and see how your skin feels in the morning.

Can tallow clog pores?

There's no way to know in advance how your pores will react. Tallow is rich, so if you have acne or acne-prone skin, try it on a small area for a couple of weeks and watch for breakouts before using it all over your face.

Does tallow balm smell?

Unscented tallow balms have no added scent. Scented ones use essential oils such as lavender, frankincense, peppermint or orange, so the smell depends on the jar you choose.

What are the drawbacks of tallow balm?

It isn't vegan, it can feel greasy at first, it softens in heat and firms in the cold, and it may be too rich for oily skin. Some people also prefer the smell of a scented version to an unscented one.

What's the best Canadian tallow brand?

We can't name one best brand, because the right tallow product depends on your skin. We carry Muskoka Tallow, Flock & Tallow Co., Rumina Naturals and Naka Platinum, so you can compare face whips, balms and lip balms side by side. Two of them, Muskoka Tallow and Rumina Naturals, were started by moms.

Tallow skincare is in the personal care aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. Tallow also makes a hard, long-lasting soap, and our natural bar soap guide includes a Nova Scotia tallow bar. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free. Browse more body lotions and balms.

Sources: Muskoka Tallow, About Us; Muskoka Tallow; Rumina Naturals, The Story Behind Rumina; Badger, About Us. This article is general information, not medical advice.